Gun Control Debate Sparked After Shootings

(Memphis) – Some say the massacre at the Connecticut elementary school and shooting of a Memphis officer is no time to be talking about gun laws. Others say before the memory fades it’s exactly the right time.

Friday Memphis Police Director Toney Armstrong gave his opinion on the subject.

“It`s a problem and we can glaze over it and try to politicize it and say it’s not a problem, but in the end of the day if there is no weapon for that suspect to arm himself with my officer is still alive today.”

After losing an officer to gunfire by a suspect Dir. Armstrong said something needs to be done.

“Obviously our gun laws are not strict enough,” he said.

Armstrong said guns are becoming far more frequent on the streets. Since April 2011, 10 Memphis police officers have been shot. Two were killed.

“We are facing suspects that are armed with guns more on a regular basis,” he said.

Memphis Mayor A.C. Wharton has made it his mission to crack-down on gun crime.

“This is why we are going all over the country to get guns out of the hands of the wrong people,” Wharton said.”Nobody has a second amendment right to load up and kill a police officer and we are going to redouble our efforts.’

But gun owners say more legislation isn’t the answer.

“I think they have strict drug laws and it runs rampant in the city so I don`t know if that`s actually the answer,” gun owner Joe Gillespie said.

Gillespie believes making it tougher to get a gun won”t keep them away from criminals.

“If you took it to the extreme and banned them, criminals would still get them from overseas so I really don`t know what the answer is,” he said.

While he doesn’t claim to have a solution, he says the problem is pretty clear.

“Respect for society I think is lost in this country,” he said.

Gun control is only something President Obama can make happen. Friday in a statement he said we need more meaningful action, but did not call for stricter gun control.